As a journalist and human rights activist – Annie Zaman has been working for more than 10 years in Pakistan, Germany and Britain to create awareness about various socio-political issues and gather more voices in support of a progressive and tolerant global society.
After working as a full-time journalist at Pakistan’s Daily Times and Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Annie moved on to more adventurous projects with various advocacy groups, raising her voice and words for labour rights, minority rights, and rights of journalists in conflict zones. At the time of the last general election in Pakistan, she launched a virtual newsroom for citizen journalists under the umbrella of PakVotes (PV). PV brought social media platforms together with a network of reporters to track violence during Pakistan’s 2013 elections. She is now remotely managing PakVoices, which has grown into a digital community media project for local transparency in governance in Southern Punjab and Makran Coast. Recently Annie has also joined the Rory Peck Trust as a Programme Officer to support the safety and welfare of freelance newsgatherers from Asia.
She is a regular contributor to Global Voices, co-editor of GV-Urdu, and speaks English, German, Urdu and Punjabi. Due to her extensive projects and passions, she happily splits her time between London, Bonn & Islamabad. She tweets at @natrani.
Latest posts by Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman
9 June 2017
Pakistani Journalist Takes Intelligence Agency to Court Over Harassment
"Many friends have also confided tht seeing me go thru all wht i've had to has made thm self censor even more. Climate of fear persists"
12 January 2017
Digital Activists Are Disappearing in Pakistan
At least six bloggers and digital activists have disappeared thus far in 2017. Despite being a serious human rights issue, the number of people missing in Pakistan is unknown.
22 August 2016
In India, a Nationalistic ‘Witch Hunt’ Targets Journalists Who Exposed #BabyLift Trafficking Operation
According to its constitution, India is a secular republic with freedom of expression, but it also prohibits anything that hurts religious or ethnic sensitivities.
6 August 2016
The Disappearance of Literary and Social Activist Wahid Baloch
"A man who fought to eradicate the menace of forced disappearances became a victim of the very crime."
17 May 2016
Pakistanis Demand Arrests as Threat of Violence Looms Over Christians of Chak 144
"We do not simply want the Police to 'defuse' the incident, we want them to arrest those who are whipping up hatred and plotting sectarian violence."
16 December 2015
The Liberation of Dhaka and the Whitewashing of Pakistan's History
Pakistan's official account of their Armed Forces' surrender in Dhaka 44 years ago ignores the realities of the bloody conflict that resulted in Bangladesh's secession.
26 November 2015
Ahmadi Muslims Once Again Become a Target for Violence in Pakistan
"We bleat about the West callously turning back refugees while we sit in abject silence at continued Ahmadi persecution in Pakistan."
24 November 2015
If You Want to Know What #1in5Muslims Thinks, Don't Ask UK Newspaper The Sun
The British tabloid inspired the hilarious hashtag after twisting the results of an already dubious telephone poll into the Islamaphobic headline: "1 in 5 Brit Muslims' sympathy for jihadis".
21 May 2015
Pakistani Company Accused of Running Fake Degree Scam Has a History of Silencing Critics
Many people tried to expose Axact's degree fraud before, the NYT didn't break this story, but this is the first time everyone is paying attention.
10 April 2015
‘This Is Not Our War': Pakistanis Want Nothing to Do With Saudi Arabia in Yemen
"We are a much informed and politically engaged nation now and we will not let our government fight other's wars."
9 April 2015
Did Pakistani Spies Just Kill a University Debate on Balochistan?
Public discussions on Balochistan's war are rare. Pakistan's largest, least-populated and poorest province is witnessing its fifth separatist movement since 1947.
28 March 2015
Pakistani Journalist and Blogger Remains in Exile, One Year After Violent Attack
March 28 marks the first anniversary of the attack on Pakistani blogger and prominent political commentator Raza Rumi. Once a contributor to Global Voices, Rumi was added to the Taliban's hit...
6 February 2015
Pakistani Lawmaker Offers Dubious Bounty for Charlie Hebdo Owner
Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said he'll $200,000 to anyone who killed the magazine's owner and $100,000 to the Charlie Hebdo attackers' heirs. Some are calling it a dangerous PR stunt.
16 September 2014
After Years of Censorship in Pakistan, Zeejah Fazli Is Trying to Fix Islamabad’s Fractured Music Industry
Meet guitarist Zeejah Fazli who works hard to create new opportunities in Islamabad’s limited music industry.
2 September 2014
Despite Violent Pushback, Anti-Government Protesters in Pakistan Refuse to Budge Until Prime Minister Sharif Steps Down
Pakistan capital Islamabad turned into a battle-zone after police used tear gas and rubber bullets to fight back massive crowds of anti-government protesters trying to storm the Prime Minister's secretariat.
7 June 2014
Pakistan's First Online Hate Speech Report Is Out, And It Isn't Pretty
Pakistan's first ever empirical research report on online hate speech is out. Global Voices interviewed Shahzad Ahmad, Director of Bytes For All, the advocacy organization that conducted the study.
14 May 2014
‘When I Heard the Sounds of Bullets, I Knew They Had Come for Me’
Pakistani journalist Raza Rumi recalls the attack on his life that left his 25-year-old driver dead in March.
8 March 2014
When Daughters Don't Count: Social Media Prays Pakistani Cricketer Have a Son
On this year's International Women's Day on March 8, some fans of Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi, who has four girls, are praying that he have a son.
1 March 2014
VIDEO: #KholoBC Viral Music Video Fights Pakistan's YouTube Ban
#KholoBC, a rap song sung partly in Urdu, partly in English by comedian Ali Gul Pir and rapper Adil Omar, has gone viral on Pakistani social media.
14 January 2014
Aitezaz Hasan, Pakistan's Young Hero Who Took on a Suicide Bomber to Save his School
"We don’t need more Aitzazs’. Not one or one million. What we need is to be worthy of the one we lost."
